Hiking has to be the most natural workout out there. It combines some of the best elements of several workouts while allowing you to scale mountainsides and roam across picturesque fields, forests, and seascapes. Advanced hikers may trek through treacherous terrain for many kilometers. Beginners can enjoy wandering on a leisurely stroll off the beaten track.
Hiking consumes calories, that's a no-brainer, really. But it also means you should have food with you to replace some of those calories when you take breaks on your walk. Now, obviously that doesn't mean loading down your backpack with burgers and chips. You want food that's going to give you energy, and also something that can sustain you if something happens and you're stuck out overnight.
So what are the best things to take, and what are the good eating strategies? Ideally you want something with a high calorific density, around 440 calories for each 100 grams eaten. That's putting energy back into your system at the rate which you've expended it, so you won't feel tired and lethargic as the hike continues. Here are some essential nutrition tips for hiking:
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One important type of high energy food is complex carbohydrates. When going hiking or doing any kind of extended strenuous activity, bring along dried or fresh fruits and vegetables. Whole grain breads and crackers also fall into this category, as well as beans. These foods are not only high in energy, but high in fiber and will keep your body regulated.
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Another type of high energy food is portable proteins. Proteins take longer to digest than carbohydrates, so they will make you feel fuller and give you a longer lasting energy output. Different kinds of portable proteins include peanut butter, cheese, nuts, dried meats, and protein bars.
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Any food that is high in vitamin C can be considered a high energy food. Vitamin C has been shown to fight both fatigue and illness, and would do a body wonders while hiking. Foods that fall into this category and are portable enough to bring on a hike include raw broccoli, small citrus fruits, grapes and tomatoes.
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Although water is not a high energy food, it's absolutely necessary to bring on a hiking trip. Drinking water steadily will prevent dehydration, which can cause fatigue, muscle soreness, and headaches. Be sure to bring along enough to last your whole hiking trip.
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Juice boxes and packaged milk are refreshing. For locations where drinking water needs to be carried in anyway, the packaging doesn't add much weight. A few boxes can be held in reserve for emergencies. In an emergency it is possible to survive for weeks without food, but only days without water. It is better to carry more water and less food.
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Foods with refined sugars are not high energy foods and should be avoided for any strenuous activity like hiking. They can give you a nice burst of energy due to the easily digestible sugars, but when the sugar level in your blood plummets, so does your energy. For a sustained hiking trip, you need a sustained energy source, which is not food with empty calories.
If you're going on a hike that will last a few days, then you'll need to pack more food, and freeze-dried meals are the ideal solution since they take up very little room, don't weight much, and are easily prepared. There's an almost infinite variety of meals available, but you'd be best advised to stick to choices like pasta, which is strong in carbohydrates, or something with meat, that offers plenty of protein.
Be sure to take enough hiking food with you on your outings and try to keep it healthy. After all, you're out there to enjoy nature and do good things for your body, so you might as well give it good food for fuel.
